Biogen-sponsored athlete Phetogo Siane describes himself as a ‘Jack of all trades’ because he has a passion for sports, gym training, entertainment, academics, and the arts, but his outstanding achievements in every aspect of life means he bucks the traditional definition by excelling in every sphere, rather than being ‘a master of none’.

“My passion is really connecting and entertaining people while trying to bring out the best in those around me,” explains Phetogo.

“I also do MC’ing and acting whenever I get the opportunity, and of course, bodybuilding with a focus on posing.”

Athlete profile

  • Lives: Johannesburg
  • Qualifications: BSc Industrial Engineer
  • Occupation: Process Engineer/Executive Assistant
  • Age: 29
  • Height: 174cm
  • Weight: 79kg
  • Sponsors: Biogen, LiftFit Gymwear, Trifocus Fitness Academy
  • IG: @phe2go

Phet says he also loves making things more efficient though process engineering, which is important in the context of his lifestyle.

“I need to be able to do my 9-5 and participate in fitness and the arts at various points. I love challenging myself and doing loads of things, but that can’t come at the expense of my relationships, so being well rounded and happy is a must.”

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Phet’s competitive spirit shines through

His passion for sport started at school, where being a good athlete was always “cool”. “My friends played the same sports I did and being highly competitive made it even more fun.”

But it wasn’t until high school that gym became more of a focus for Phet. “I started doing strength training in the latter stage of high school to improve at athletics.”

After a short stint in boxing during his first year at varsity, Phet started focusing more on lifting weights to develop his physique.

“In 2019, my friends got me a month of coaching as a gift and that’s when the bug bit. While I used the expert guidance to prep for a photoshoot, which went very well, Covid delayed my plans to compete.”

When life regained some normalcy again in 2021, Phet was resolute in his determination to finally step on stage. “I continued building my physique throughout the pandemic and made my debut in September 2021.”

Phet’s undeniable talent and his hard work in the gym delivered immediate returns as he won his division and the overall title at Gauteng Provincials in Ekhuruleni, which earned him a place at the IFBB SA Championships that year.

He went on to win his division – Classic Bodybuilding u/175cm – and subsequently represented his country at the IFBB World Championships in his debut season.

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Taking on the best at the Arnold Classic

Phet made a return to the stage in 2023, with an eye on posing against the best athletes possible at the Arnold Classic.

“The local show is unique in that it has judges and athletes from all over the world with varying experience levels. Knowing many of the athletes made it a surprisingly calm event for me and the camaraderie among the athletes is always a pleasure.”

After winning the Classic Bodybuilding division, Phet modestly admits that he wasn’t expecting to do well in the Classic Physique division as he weighed in well below the cap.

“It was a great feeling to place second – that really made my fire burn bright.”

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Mindset reset breeds success

Phet attributes his success at the show to a shift in mindset and approach after his experience at the IFBB World Championships in 2021.

“I was overwhelmed by the stature of the athletes I went up against and beat myself before anyone else could by not enjoying the moment.”

He now approaches contest preps with gratitude and excitement, which helps mitigate challenges.

“Having an unbelievable support system in the form of my wife and my coach makes all these challenges a lot easier to face.”

When prepping for the Arnold Classic, Phet practised posing relentlessly. “I was adamant to go into the show relaxed but excited, no matter what everyone around me looked like. My coach, Matt Weitz, did a phenomenal job at making the entire prep as smooth as possible.”

Phet’s competitive achievements

2021

  • 1st & Overall IFBB Provincial Championships, Ekurhuleni, Classic Bodybuilding u/175
  • 1st IFBB SA Championships, Classic Bodybuilding u/175
  • IFBB World Championships participant and capped SA Protea athlete

2023

  • 1st & Overall Sunfest Gauteng, Classic Bodybuilding u/175
  • 1st & Overall Sunfest Gauteng, Classic Physique u/175
  • 1st Arnold Classic Africa, Classic Bodybuilding
  • 2nd Arnold Classic Africa, Classic Physique

Doing what he loves

Phet builds his contest-winning physique with five training sessions a week and regularly gets in other forms of activity.

“I have a weekly goal of 70,000 steps – 10,000 a day – and to reduce my injury risk, I recently replaced five-a-side soccer with padel, which I love.”

Phet follows an arms-legs (hamstring-focused), chest and a shoulders-back-legs (quad focused) training split. Leg workouts are the toughest for Phet because it requires something different to get through them, and he looks forward most to back day.

“The pulling exercises in my plan are my strongest area and really challenge my willingness to push to another level. I don’t know why my back is as developed as it is, but I love it.”

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Diet deliciousness makes clean eating easy

Phet supports his committed training approach with a diet he finds easy to stick to because he makes food as delicious as possible.

“I like convenient yet delicious food. Most people comment on my breakfasts as they’re either mouth-watering French toast or open toast with runny yolk spilling over,” laughs Phet,

For dinner, loaded sweet potato fries are a quick and easy favourite, and he cooks meat in bulk.

“While the fries are cooking in the air-fryer, I’ll heat up veggies and chicken. I’ll put them together in a bowl and add a sprinkle of Parmesan and Italian cheese seasoning.”

Phet shares his passion for good food with his wife as they are both serious foodies. “We bond over snacks, takeout and dates. I don’t like spending in general but when it comes to grub, there’s always an extra rand.”

Phet’s diet consists of:

Breakfast

  1. 3 slices of kilojoule-controlled bread
  2. 175g egg whites
  3. 50g blueberries

Lunch

  1. 150g chicken breast
  2. 2 hamburger rolls
  3. 30g mozzarella cheese
  4. 100g mixed vegetables

Dinner

  1. 180g lean eland mince
  2. 250g basmati rice
  3. 100g mixed vegetables

Pre-workout meal

Bedtime snack

  1. Mini Bar-One
  2. 60g cereal
  3. 1 serving Biogen Iso-Whey Premium

When it’s time to prep for a show, Phet keeps his protein intake relatively high and makes minor reductions to his fat intake.

“I will reduce my carbs gradually, but keep the food sources consistent, which is important for my gut stability. We taper down the calories and increase them when we need a break. I leave all of the science to coach Matt, though.”

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The Biogen supplement boost

When he needs an extra boost before training, Phet reaches for his Biogen RAGE Rampage pre-workout.

“I couldn’t prep properly without my Biogen products. A pre-workout is really helpful when training on low calories, and RAGE Rampage delivers unreal pumps and energy.”

Biogen RAGE Aminos is another staple supplement in Phet’s plan to meet his intra-workout muscle-sparing needs.

“I have a serving and a half of Biogen Iso-Whey Protein before I train and before bed and my meals to ensure I hit my protein goals.”

Phet’s Biogen supplement stack includes:

Consistency the ultimate currency

Despite his fledgling competitive career, Phet already holds a wealth of knowledge and experience in the industry.

When asked for the best advice anyone has ever given him, Phet says that “consistency is the ultimate currency”.

“Staying consistent, maintaining a level, and improving a little more every day will reap bountiful rewards.”

He believes that buying a treadmill on Black Friday in 2020 was one of the best investments he has made for his health and physique.

“It has really helped me stay on track. I work from home most days, so I’ll be on it while I work which allows me to kill two birds with one stone.”

And this approach is in-keeping with his belief that the simplest changes bring about the greatest results.

“People generally think that you need to change a lot in your life to get healthy. But simply

increasing your vegetable and protein intake, buying zero or kilojoule-controlled sauces and drinks, and training about four times a week for 30-45 minutes are small changes that can yield astronomical results.”

Ultimately, Phet’s greatest ambition in life is to leave a mark that continues to ripple through the lives of others forever.

“I want to be impactful and make people feel good. I feel if I’m forgotten then I haven’t used my time here well enough.”

Quick facts:

  • Favourite music to train to? Anything upbeat and intense. Rap to dubstep.
  • Favourite exercise? Low cable rows
  • Favourite cheat meal? Pizza in all flavours, shapes and sizes.
  • What do you do to relax? Listen to podcasts.
  • What’s in your gym bag? Biogen RAGE Aminos, Samurai Health Lifting Belt, knee straps, rubber grips, weight lifting grips, earphones, deodorant and gum.